A piezo element picks up the noises made by a user. Above [Mathieu] demonstrates how sensitive the element is, picking up scratching and knocking anywhere along this wall and displaying it as a waveform on the computer monitor. Clever processing and filtering of these noises lets the device convert them into different commands. He covers all of this in the video after the break, then demonstrates a bunch of functionality such as waking up and starting audio playback from a computer just by tapping on the coffee table.

Now he needs to make the wall into a giant pointing device, like those guys did with the live-fire zombie game.

I tried to replicate the video game with a ‘duino, but the chip is a little too slow for anything better than 6″ of resolution. That wouldn’t matter on this, though. Paint up some big fun “buttons” and you’ve got a massive “screen.”

One thing that needs to be considered is an algorithm to some how validate the knocks as a command and not a random knock. For instance I like to beat my desk when listening to an amping song, I would not want my lights to get all strobey on me! Very cool project and idea!!

I saw something similar a little while back – http://www.chrisharrison.net/index.php/Research/ScratchInput . I think he explains the concept even better and his interpretation seems slightly more advanced with the inclusion of guestures. In terms of the possibilities, I think we are really just scratching the surface here… (really wanted to work that in!)

This is going to have the same flaw as most inexpensive devices that use sound, false activation. My be less susceptible to false activation, than the clapper, but it will prove to be so all the same. In that wireless is going to used to ultimately control devices the an audio receiver is not really needed as demonstrated here. Just a transmitter without the audio receiver would get the job done.I don’t have any problem with Matthieu earning something for his efforts so for, but does something have to first be commercialized before going Open Source? Matthieu mentioned TAPR,AFAIK Tuscon Packet Radio never offered a commercial product,other than a TNC kit, and The TNC 1, TNC 2 are probably some of the best examples what the open hardware concept can achieve.

Just to be clear, i’m not transmitting any audio in the wireless link, just the command if the algo finds the detected vibrations ok.
It is not that I want it to be commercialized before going Open Source, it is just that I am saying this to motivate people to talk about this project around them :)